Grinding machine



Oct. 17, 1933.

0. DOUTT 1,931,106

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O. DQUTT GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Oct. 17, 1933. o. DOUTT GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 QN R S W \\V \w mmw to w Oct. 17, 1933. o. DOUTT GRINDING MACHINE Filed. Sept. 6, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 Oct. 17, 1933. Q DQUTT 1,931,106

GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet l1 o Mb 2 4 02 .98 /0 9 /7 m4 8 j G U Patented Oct. 17, 1933 7 1,931,106 GRINDING MACHINE Owen Doutt, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesne' assignments, to General Spring Bumper Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Application September 6, 1921. Serial No. 217,599

12 Claims. (01. 51-100) This invention relates to apparatus for use in grinding, polishing or buffing and more particularly' to a machine for finishing vehicle bumper bars or similar articles. In the following description and claims the operation will be referred to as one of grinding and the machine as a grinder but it is not intended to thereby limit the invention. to use in a grinding operation since it is apparent that by merely replacing the grinding element by a polishing or bufling element the operations of polishing and buffing could be performed by the same machine. The general object of the invention is to provide means by which several barsmay'be ground at the same time, and over their entire exposed surface, without manual handling of the individual bars.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a carrier upon which the bumper bars may be placed and which may be passed as a unit through a series of operations resulting in the complete grinding, polishing 'or buffing of. the surfaces of the bars.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means for regulating the height of the carriage' for use with grinding wheels of different diameters and means for independently regulating the pressure of the several bars upon the grinding element and so allowing for irregularities in the bars.

Other objects are to provide means for resiliently supporting said bars at their'intermediate and end portions and novel means for fastening the ends of said bars.

Further objects are to provide means for conveying the carriage from one grinder to another, whereby the curved ends and the flat surfaces of the bumper may be successively ground, and to provide means for controlling the direction of movement of the carriage so as to allow movement in directions at right angles to each other.

A further object is to provide means for reciprocating the carriage through an are whereby the curved surfaces of the end portions of the bars will be oscillated in contact with the grinding element. Further objects are to provide novel means for connecting and detaching the carriage from the reciprocating driver and.

I means-for controlling the movement of the latter.

A further object is to provide means for moving the carriage during the operation of grind ing the flat surfaces of the bars.

Further and more limited objects-will be ap parent from the drawings, from the following description and from. the use of the combination of elements covered. by the appended claims.

Drawings v In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a diagram; matic plan view of an arrangement of four grinders and four carriers whereby the curved a and flat surfaces of the bars may be ground in succession; Fig. 2 shows a side elevation. of-a grinder with the reciprocating device attached thereto; Fig. 3 shows a side elevation ofa carriage with one of the height-regulating tubesand one of thewheel pivots shown in section; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a carriage and anend elevation of a grinder for grinding the curved. ends of the bars; Fig. 5 shows a view sin'iilarto- Fig. 4 in which the carriage is advanced; and 7 the grinding wheel is in contact with curved: surfaces of the bars; Fig. 6 shows a detail. view ofthe end of the grinder and aportion of side of the carriage with the latter partially.-

advanced; Fig.7 represents a plan view of a car--7 riage with the bars removed; Fig. 8 showsa side elevation of a carriage and an end elevation; of; a grinder adapted to grind. the flat surfacesof. thebumper bars; Fig. 9 is a fractional detailed.

elevation taken from the position indicated by line 9-9 of. Fig. 3 and showing'the mechanism. provided to grip the reciprocating member; Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10- 10 of Fig. 9; :Fig. 11 is a. sectional view taken on. line 11-1l of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 "is a plan view of} the means for fastening the ends of the bars; Fig- 14is an end elevation of the view" shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a side elevation of. the view shownin Fig. '13, looking from' the left side of that figure; Fig. 16 shows a fractional detail plan view of-the means provided for-supporting the'bars; f Fig. 17 shows a fractional detail view of mechanism for advancing the carriage under the flat surface grinder.

Description i Of the reference characters shown in the sev eral views, 1, 2, 3 and 4 denote diagrammatic representations of four-carriers each loaded with nine bars and positioned at different stages of the series of operations. The carrier 1 is ;posi-' 0s,

tioned so as to permit grinding of the curved end portions of the bars at the right-hand end-1 of-the carrier by contacting them with the grinding. element 9 of the grinder 5 The grinder 5 is made up of a motor 10, a rotatable shaft 11 upon which the grinding element 9 is fixed, and 119;

lever 58 and are so placed as to allow the r'od 52 to move downward and out of the recess 55 when the plate 56 is withdrawn.

The clutch for operating the reciprocating mechanism includes a disk '73 keyed to the shaft "71 and having notches 8'7 in its periphery, and a bell crank88 pivotally supported at 89 upon the disk '74. 'I'hebell crank has a projection 90 adapted to fitwithin any of the notches 8'7 and a spring 91 between a pin 92 and the bell crank 88' holds the bell crank normally in such a posi tionthatthe projection is within a notch 8'7. The disk '74 which is free to rotate on shaft '21 will, by means of bell crank 88, be made to move with that shaft. A pin 98 is slidably supported in the support 94 so that a projecting portion 95 may be withdrawn to allow the passage of the lower end of the bell crank 88. When the pin 93 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 it will engage the bell crank 88 and so disconnect the disk '74 from the disk "73 and the former disk will idle on the shaft '71. When the end of the pin 93 is removed, the pressure ofthe spring 91 will cause the projection 90 to engage a notch 8'7 and the disk '74 will be rotated with the shaft 71.

Each of the blocks 18 and 20 arebored out,

as shown more clearly in Fig. 10,-'1'or' the reception of the bottom portions of the plungers 1'7. A shoulder 9'7 oneach plunger .17 bears upon a closure plate 98' wihch surrounds each plunger and is bolted to the block by bolts 102. Springs 99 resilientlyhold each plunger 1'7 in its extended position with the shoulder 9'7 against the plate '98. Guards 100 and 101' of leather or other suitable material, surroundthe plungers 1'7 and prevent dirt from getting intothe joint between the plung'ers 1'7 and'the plates 98. As shown in Fig 16 the plates 98 are "cut at an angle to'allow greater space between the bolts 102. By the arrangement shown,- each of the plungers 'may be individually removed for any necessary attention. i

As shown in Figs. 8, 13,14 and 15,: the ends of the bars 16, having eyes'103, may be fastened to the plungers 1'7 by meansof a bracket 104 and a pin 105. The bracket 104 is here shown as made up of a plate having its ends turned up to 1 form projections106. Portions intermediate the ends of the plate" are cut out and turned up to form projections 10'7, spaced to fit between the bars 16. Plates 108are'riveted to the pro- 'jections 106 and are adapted to extend around the outer plungers 1'7 and to terminate at points between the two outer plungers at each end of the'blocks 20. Pins 109, retained by suitablecotter pins, pass through apertures in the opposite portions of the plate 108. and in the. outside plungers 1'7 and retain the bracket. 104 in its properposition. Thetpin: 105 passes through suitable apertures in the projections 106 and 107 and through the eyes 103 .in..the ends of the bars and thereby holds the bars 16. in position on the plungers 1'7.

One end. of the pin 105 is shown as bent at 110 to form a handle and to provide an extension adapted to fit, and be retained, between spring members 111 and 112.

Such fastening means may be used at both or either of the ends of the bars.

In Figs. 8 and 1'7, there is shown a mechanism 1 the flat surfaces of the. bars. 11 rack 1113, having teeth 114 on its undersurface, is fastened to the cross members 35 of the carriage. A gear 115 is rotatablymountedon a pin 116 supported'in standards 117. A shaft 118, supported at its ends at 119 and 120, has fixed thereto a pulley f? Operation I The bars 16 are placed on the plungers 1'7 and the ends may be fastened by means of the pin 105 andthe bracket 104. A wheel 9 of suitable abrasive or buffing qualities is fixed to the shaft 11 and suitable templates 46 are adjusted by the screws 49 to give the desired movement of the end of the carriage so that the curved surfaces of the ends of the bars will contact with the grinding element. The carriage is advanced until the rod 52 mo'ves into the notch 55 and the clamp is then closed by means of a lever 65. The end 95 of the pin 93 is withdrawn and the projection 90 on the bell crank 88 is allowed to enter one of the notches 87 of the rotating disk "73. The reciprocating motion of the carria'ge may be continued until the desired amount,

motion of the rod 52 will stop at the top of its stroke. Suitable electromagnetic braking means may be applied to the shaft '71 to facilitate the stopping at the desired point. r

The carriage may then be moved to the position indicated at 2 of Fig. 1 and the curved sur-' faces at the other ends of the bars may be ground. After the second'operation the lever 42 is moved longitudinally to rotate the wheels 36 through an angle of 90 and the carriage is moved to a point opposite the grinding element of the grinders '7and 8. The wheels are then moved back to their original position and the carriage is moved forward so that the gear 115 will contact with the teeth of the rack 113. The bars may then be drawn under one or more grinders to give the desired finish to the flat surfaces of the bars and they may then be removed from the carriage. If desired, grinding, polishing or bufiing elements of different abrasive qualities may be used to produce successively a grinding, polishing and a bufiingaction.

Each of thecurved or straight-bar grinding operations may be performed without the other only polish curved or flat surfaces of the bars It is further apparent that the particular means shown for reciprocating the carriage or for trans- I lating the same are not essential to my invention. The individual support means for the bars 16 will permit the simultaneous grinding of a plurality of bars of different thickness and a uniform grinding of" bars of varying thickness throughout their length, but my invention is not confined to the particular supporting means herein shown. I have described a means for fas- Y tening the ends of the bumper bars to the carbe substituted for those shown. It is also contemplated that barsfastened together in a uniriage but it is apparent that other means may tary structure as they are often handled in electroplating may be applied to, and supported upon my carriage without removingthem from the racksused for that purpose.

It is also apparent'that other means for moving the carriage to the desired positions and in the desired directions might be substituted Without avoiding the scope of my invention. 4

In order to give a complete disclosureI have described in detail a preferredvembodiment of my invention and an application of the same but it is not intended to thereby limit the scope of the invention to those elements or applications specifically shown and described since it is apparent that my invention in-its broaderiscope may be applied to, mechanisms differing greatly in detail from' the constructions shown,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. The combination witha grinding element, of a carriage adapted to support work to beground, said carriage having a roller adapted to support an end of the carriage and to' guide the movement thereof over a predetermined path by its contact with a template, and having a grip adapted to grasp the freeend of a reciprocating mechanism, said mechanism including a lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends and having a connecting rod pivoted to one end, which connecting rod is pivotally connected at its other end to a crank arm driven by a'rotatable shaft, and a link pivoted at the other end of the fulcrumed lever and having a free endadapted to beremovably retained by said grip, which link is of adjustable length and is retained in the desired raised position by a rod slidably connected to the fulcrumed lever for adjustable limited movement relative thereto.

2. The combination with a grinding element,

of acarriage adapted to support work to be ground, said carriage having a roller adapted to support an end of the carriage and to guide. the movement thereof over a predetermined path by. its contact with a template, and having a grip adapted to grasp the free end'of a reciprocating mechanism, said mechanism including a lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends and having,

a connecting rod pivoted to one end,-which connecting rod is pivotally connected-at its other end to a crank arm free to rotate on a drive shaft and adapted to be driven by said shaft through a pivoted bell crank having a projection at one end adapted to lit in one of the notches of a ratchet wheel fixed to the drive shaft and hav-.

ing an arm at the other end adapted to engage 'a removable stop whereby the projection may be,

withdrawn from the notch, and a link pivoted at the other endof the fulcrumed leverand having a free end adapted to be removably retained by said grip.

3. The combination with a grinding element, of a carriage adapted to resiliently and individually support a plurality, of bars having curved ends to be ground, said carriage having adjustable supports for, regulating the height of the bars and having four wheels, each, of which is adapted to rotate" on a. horizontal axle carried by a shaft pivotally connected to the carriage frame and having a bell crank fixed to its upper end in such a position that when the wheels are all turned in 'the'same direction the two bell cranks on one side of the carriage will have their arms parallel and each extending outward at an angle of approximately45 to a lateralline through its shaft, and the two-bell cranks on the other side of the carriage so, positioned that their arms are parallel and each extendat an angle ofabout 45 from a longitudinal line through the shafts thereof, a lever. at each end of the carriage extending laterally and pivotally connectedat its ends-to parallel crank arms, said levers being on the same relative side of the shafts to which the crank arms are connected, a lever on each side of the carriageextending longitudinally and pivotally connected to the remaining parallel arms of the cranks in such a manner that the longitudinally extending levers will move away from each other as-the wheels are turned fromone position to another,

and a spring connecting said longitudinally extendinglevers and adapted to resist outward movement thereof.

4. The combination with a grinding element and apertures through the projecting portions of said bracket v v 5. A grinding machine including,a grinding element, driving means for rotating the same, a carriage for supporting a curved piece of work in operative relation to said grinding element,

said carriage including spring pressed plungers for supporting said work, said carriage being mounted on rollers, other rollers carried by said carriage at at least one end, a template for guiding said-curved work into'grinding' relation with said grinding element, said other rollers at one end only of said Carriage adapted to cooperate with said template. p a V 6. A grinding machine including a'grindingelement for grinding a curved end portion of a piece of work, a carriage including angularly related spring-pressed plungers for supportingsaid work in proper operative-relation to said .element, said curved portion having means cooperating with said plungers-whereby said piece of work-is retained-on said carriage.

7. A grinding machine including a grinding element, acarriage, a support for said carriage andgrinding element, said support having an opening adjacent said: grinding'element, said carriage being movable along the support on rollers, means providing for pivotal movement of said carriage for grinding a curved piece of work, said means being, operative to support one end of the carriage when said end is disposed over said opening, said means including a template whereby said 'end of the carriage may-dip and rise'in a predeterminedpath to provide for grinding of the curved surface of the piece of work, and instrumentalities for reciprocating the said end of the carriage along said template.

8. A machine for grinding a curved piece of work, said machine including a grinding element, driving means for rotating the same, and a carriage including angularly related spring pressed plungers for supporting said work in proper operative relation to said element. r

9. The combination with a grinding element and a work feeder adapted to translate a bar.

across thesurface of said grinding element, of

means for progressing said bar with said work feeder, said means comprising a spring for yieldably resisting longitudinal movement of said bar relative to said work feeder.

10. Apparatus for grinding a metal bar having an ofiset portion on one end thereof comprising a grinding wheel, a carrier, an outwardly-extending presser arm on said carrier, having means thereon for engaging said ofiset portion, a second presser arm projecting outwardly and affording support for another portion of the bar, and means for yieldably holding said arms in projected position. I

11. Apparatus for grinding curved bumper bars having eye portions formed in each end thereof, comprising a grinding wheel, a conveyor, presser arms carried by said conveyor and having means for effecting detachable connectionwith the ends of said bar, and means for yieldably urging said presser arms outwardly to hold the bar against the grinding wheel during traveling movement of the conveyor. v

v 12. Apparatus for grinding curved bumper bars havingeye portions formed in each end thereof,

comprising a grinding wheel, a conveyor, presser arms carried by said conveyor and having means for effecting detachable connection with the ends of said bar, an arm intermediate'the first-named arm, and means for yieldably urging said presser arms outwardly to hold the bar against the grinding wheel during traveling movement of the conveyor. I 

